gilchrist



J. F. (SILCHRIST.V .DINING TABLE CONNECTOR. 4 APP-LlcAxoa FILED Amma, 1911. asngwsn ma. 2, |919. @ggg-Q55 l Mense@ .my 8,' 1919.

ZSHEETYs-snei 1.

Y J. F. GiLcHms.

DINING TABLE conmrco. FPLICATON FILED AUGJS, i917. VRENEWED` MAR. 27,'1919. E gs-Q Patented July 8, 1919. A

2 SHEETS-.SHEET 2.

ne eenlueers 6 and 8 are `have shown connected te ne espeetlve contacts or tei'- mmas 3, ey means @f straps i0 and l2 L 1 I I 1 m of bfass er e nel* eenuuctlve millenni. he

srp i2 is Wn in Figs. l anni te be see'wec emi@ Sile ower en of the stem 13 of the 0eme? eonac late has a sot M foi eceemmedaing the supply conduceos 6 8, as best Shown in Fig. 3.

Fem he oregenfr it will be seen filet bhe pae l is soied to accommodate he vends 0i the supply conductors' ami has an upstandng pest with a center termina cou- Eeetefl ie ene of che suppy conducters and e. ring ermina connected to zhe othe supply eonduc'o, the ring terminal being insuee om e center eeminal.

When the device is in use, the table cloth 16 will overlie plate 1, the cloth preferablyhaving an eyelet 17 for accommodating the terminal post. The parts which lie above the table cloth may be considered as constituting a cap. In the construction illustrated, one of the principal parts of the cap is the dome 20 which consists preferably of sheet metal or" ornate configuration, silver plated or otherwise treated to give it an attractive appearance. It is provided at the bottom with a plurality of connectors, which in the design shown are of standard type, having sockets 21 adapted to receive the plugs 26. In the present case there are four ot' these connectors, equally distributed, and the sockets are connectedin series by conductors 22 arranged within the dome and, therefore, concealed by it. By preference, the dome has a vertical annular flange. 2e at the bottom which is cut away to accommodate the sockets in the manner indicated. The plugs 26 are connected to Conductors 27, which lead to the candles or other appliances. nector plugs are well known commercially, a detailed description of them is unnecessary. Their specific form and construction may be considerably varied without departing from the vspirit of the invention. It is best, however, that they be comparatively flat so as to lie upon the cloth without occupying much space, and that they radiate from the center` of the cap.

rlhe ends of the conductors 22 are 'con-l nected to binding screws 30, 31. Screw 30 is connected by a strap 32 to a center block 33 which is countersunk to receive and make electric contact with the center contact l of the post. Screw 31 is connected by a strap 34 tc the ring 35, which is provided with a number or" downwardly projecting spring fingers 36, best shown in Figs. 1 and it. Said fingers are so formed that when lowered onto the post, they will make electric contact with ring 3. The block 33 and fingers 36 are suitably insulated Jfrom each other and secured in any suitable manner to the inside of the dome 20. In the particular construction'illustrated, a platform 38 of insulating material is fastened within vthe dome by astud 39 which is screw threaded and passesup through the center of the dome to a semi-spherical nut 4() by which the parts are held assembled.

In operation, the plate 1 is iirst laid upon the table, usually near the center. The supply conductors 6, 8 are then led'to the edge of the table, then down around the edge and finally to the supply outlet, usually found either in the center of the dining iioor beneath the center column of the table, or at some convenient point in the base board of the room. In any event, the supply conductors may be led directly from the edge As these sockets and con.

being unattached to of the table to the center leg or column which supports the table, and thence to the outlet, thus avoiding the danger of a guest or attendant becoming entangled in the conductor and dislodgingY the device. The table cloth is then laid over plate 1, the center post 3, 4f passing up through the eyelet 1T in the cloth. Thus the cloth hides everything but the center post which is small. While the dimensions may be varied, li have :tound that the center post need be no more than of an inch in diameter and inch high. rlhese parts may be made even smaller if desired. rll`he center cap, consisting ci the dome 20, the sockets 21, and attached parts, is then lowered onto the post, whereupon the spring contact fingers 36 automatically engage the ring terminal 3, while the center block 33 engages the center terminal la This renders the socket terminals alive so that when the plugs 26 are inserted, their conductors 27 which lead to the candles or heating appliances, are rendered electrically alive.

rThe dome 20, which may be made quite small, if desired, is the only thing visible above the table cloth with the exception ot the connectors 26` and as the dome may be plated to give the appearance ot frosted silver or other attractive finish, the device is decorative and adds to the appearance of the table. r1`he dome and attached parts, which for convenience I have collectively termed the cap may be removed at any time by simply lifting it oft, whereupon the only thing visible will be the post 3, et which, as it is very small, may be readily concealed by vsome other kind of table decoration. The post itself and its supporting plate 1,

the table, may be removed at any time. AS the table cloth is not attached to any part ofthe device, there is nothing to `pre-vent the removal of the cloth as soon as the cap is removed.

It will be understood that while I have shown a multiplex cap having four different connectors, the number may be increased er .decreased by the manufacturer to meet diff ferent conditions. It will also be understood that the number of elements, especially those structural parts inside of the dome, may be considerably varied without exceedingthe scope of the invention..

aving thus'described my invention, what Let- I claim as new and desire to secure by ters Patent, 1s:

1. A dining table cluster having a base f plate adapted to lie on the table beneath the table cloth, a cap adapted to overlie the table cloth, a plurality of electric terminals fastened to saidrcap, and interitting elements of considerable diameter for guiding the cap to central position over the base plate, said interitting elements being at the center of the device, and one of them having converging sides for assisting to center the. `two p 2. A dining table cluster a base parte.,

plate adapted to lie on the surface of the .table beneath the cloth, a 'cap' adapted to p overlie the table cloth, a plurality of plug and socket connectors radiating from the cap and extending horizontally, and-mating elements, one fastened to the base plate and projecting upwardl from it and the other fastened to' the cap and projecting downward from it, one of vsaid matingv elements havinglan approximately conical surface and theot er being eliambered 'to receive it to thereby readilyl guide the cap to central po'- sition over the base plate, supply conductors,

and electric 'connections whereby when the cap is 1n place upon the baseplate, the-connectors will be put in circuit with thesup-= ply'conductors.

3. A dinin tablepcluster having a base plate adap to lie on the table, a cap n adapted to overlie the table cloth, al plurality 1 of plug-and-socket l connectors, radiating from the cap in a horizontal direction, and a cone and a socket, one fastened to the base plate andY the other to the cap andbeing of considerable "diameter, whereby, when the cap is lowered, it will automatically be centered relatively to the base plate, supply conductors, a ring contact','and a finger, one fastened tothe base plate and the other to ,the cap in position to mutually enga e vwhen `the cap iis-loweregl'onto the basep ate, the rin and fingerand the cone and socket being con uctive and connected to the supply con-= ductors vand plug-and-socket connectors for cessed where .being establiso-V the circuit when tliecap ,is lowered onto te base.

4. In a connector for electric 4appliances to be used lupona dining table,'a metallic ca .having a connector :for energizing. a

ta le appliance, a thin .plate adapted to rest freely upon the table top beneath tlietable cloth, two mating terminals of considerable diameter, one projecting and the other re'- theyare self centering and one supports t the plate, and a second pair of'coperating e other, one of saidy terminals l .mounted on the cap and the other'on terminals, one carried bythe cap and the vother by the plate, said second pair of terminals being in position te engage each other when the mating terminalsv are in engag-v ment, supply conductors connected to 't e terminals on the plate, and connectors for the tableappliance connected' to the terminals on the oa 5. In a multiple connector for electrical appliances adapted to be used upon a clothcovered 'dining table, a plate adapted to4 rest'upon the table top, .a pair of supply conductors vleading to said plate, va conical 'said connectors being electrically connected ted-e5 respectively-to the counter boredterminal` l and to the spring fingers aforesaid. y.

6. In a" multiple connector for electric 'appliances to be used upon a dining table, a

metallic dome having a, plurality of con` nectors for energizing the table a pliances,

a' counter 'bored terminal fastened ace downward inside of the dome, a baseA lateadapted to underlie the tablecloth an rest freelyl upon the table, a pair of sup ly conductors leading to said late, a peake terminal. connectedto one o the supply conductors and pointing .upward from t e plate and ada ted4 to support the counter bored termina,- a second terminal on said plate connected to the remaining supply conductor, and a spring terminal mounted within said dome adjacent to the counter bored terminal and adapted to engage the second terminal on the plate when the'counter bored terminal is resting upon'the peaked terminal. Y

In witness whereof I have hereunto l sabscribed my name.

JoHN n Gmornus'r; A 

